About me…

I am married (17 years to my high school sweetheart & best friend) and have two beautiful daughters (My husband is pretty nice looking too…but don't tell him that). My oldest daughter, Brittany, is in the 11^th grade and my youngest daughter, Brianna, is in the 9^th grade. Both girls are very active and talented in sports (I'm sure you'll hear much about them throughout my journal); however, I'll try not to brag too much. J I have two sisters, Shelia & Karen. I have 2 nephews, Aaron & Adam and 2 neices, Kaitlyn & Kacey. My Grandparents raised me after my mother was killed in a car wreck (I was 10 years old) and I am very close to them. I am also very close to my aunt Peggy who is my mother's only sister. I am blessed with a wonderful family!

I was first diagnosed with hearing loss around the age of 5. I had 50% loss in my right ear and 10% loss in my left ear. There was never any explanation as to why I had hearing loss or how long I had been hard of hearing. The doctors tried to get me to wear a hearing aid, but I wouldn't. I can remember having to wear "corrective shoes" (I'm not sure why) and hated being "different' from other kids my age.

I went to mainstream schools all my life and did fairly well. I had to sit up front in the classrooms, but other than that received no special treatment or modification. I communicated very well by reading lips and my speech discrimination was good at that time as well. My best friend in 7^th grade was the person who discovered that I read lips. I hadn't realized it before then. I heard well enough that I could learn speech sounds/syllables and everyone tells me that my speech is very good even today.